The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 will feature just five teams, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed. This decision is part of a reduced schedule to include next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, which is planned for February 2026.
Iftikhar Rahman Mithu, the Secretary of the BPL governing council, announced the tournament will take place sometime between mid-December 2025 and mid-January 2026, making it one of the most compact formats yet seen in the history of the tournament.
Why BPL 2025-26 Will Feature Only Five Teams?
The decision to adopt a shorter format was made in light of our tight international calendar, as well as the need to prepare for the World Cup. “The board has decided to host the BPL from mid-December to mid-January,” Mithu told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
“This year, we are comfortable with five teams with the short window we have. It doesn’t mean there won’t be six or seven teams in the future; for this year, we want to focus on a five-team BPL played in a one-month window.” Therefore, the BPL 2025-26 will play a packed schedule with very few rest days — a model that will allow us to finish before February.
The BCB has also confirmed that it will soon announce an EOI (Expression of Interest) for new franchises, indicating a new cycle for the league following the controversy surrounding the last edition.
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Franchise Scrutiny and Management Overhaul in BPL 2025-26
Mithu expressed that the 2025-26 BPL franchise selection will be a stricter process, following issues with the franchises in the 2024-25 season, particularly regarding management and finances associated with them.
“The issues we had in the last BPL were mostly related to the franchises,” he noted. “The franchise selection will be very strict. If the finances aren’t right, if the management isn’t right, you could be a large, well-off group, but if you don’t have people to manage it from a cricket perspective, that doesn’t help you.”
The BCB, in a renewed season of focus, is ensuring that teams participating are truly financially transparent and properly managing the cricket, which is a step toward restoring the tournament to a truly professional image.
Fortune Barishal’s Participation in Doubt for BPL 2025-26
A significant question heading into BPL 2025-26 is the situation with defending champions Fortune Barishal. The franchise, but they have gone public, claiming that “we will not participate in any cricket under Aminul Islam’s leadership,” citing governance issues.
Mithu was optimistic that Barishal may change their mind, but was clear that it is not a search for any confirmed participation.
“I request that it would be good if they (Fortune Barishal) come,” he said. “I can’t force anyone to come. But we would welcome them. They had a structured team. We have never had any complaints. We always want good, structured teams to join.”
With Barishal exiting, BPL 2025-26 could be a safe opportunity to take advantage of a franchise to fill the void, which would lead to a major overhaul of the tournament’s competitive environment.
Possible Line-Up of Five Teams for BPL 2025-26
While official franchises are yet to be confirmed, cricket insiders expect Dhaka Capitals, Chittagong Kings, Rangpur Riders, Khulna Tigers, and Fortune Barishal (subject to confirmation) to headline the BPL 2025-26 edition.
Each team is expected to retain its core domestic players while re-evaluating overseas signings during the draft process, which is expected to take place later in November 2025.
1. Dhaka Capitals
As a continuous participant in the league, the Dhaka franchise will be looking to respond positively after an unfortunate 2024-25 season. If backed by strong finances and veteran leadership, they will be among the more stable sides in BPL 2025-26.
2. Chittagong Kings
Chittagong has always been known for a well-balanced unit that reads the game with tactical maturity and has been one of the better-performing sides in recent seasons. They will have an aggressive top-order batting lineup and a strong bowling group in the middle overs to help them in BPL 2025-26, and will be one of the competitive teams to watch.
3. Rangpur Riders
With a team of local pace talent and in-form all-rounders, Rangpur remains an unpredictable and fun side to watch. If the pace attack and all-rounders can adapt to slower pitches and prove to be resourceful in day, back-to-back matches, it may very well prove to be the difference in BPL 2025-26.
4. Khulna Tigers
With a cockpit full of fearless batsmen, Khulna often implements a game that can be difficult to predict. However, if Khulna can establish some bowling stability and steer clear of collapse periods in their batting lineup, it is easy to imagine the Tigers surprising teams in BPL 2025-26.
5. Fortune Barishal (TBC)
If Barishal is involved in BPL 2025-26, they will be the defending champions and fan favorites. Their availability hinges on settling ongoing off-field disputes, because the impact of Barishal not being involved in terms of the league dynamics is huge.
BPL 2025-26: Compact Format, Bigger Stakes
BPL 2025-26 will feature just five teams and a one-month window, resulting in a tight double-round-robin format, where consistency will become crucial. The fact that one defeat might have a significant impact on qualification opportunities would further intensify the tension surrounding each game.
The BCB believes that a shorter tournament will also reduce logistical strain and allow players to focus on national commitments leading up to the World Cup.
What To Expect Next?
The next major event will be the BPL 2025-26 player draft, which is expected to take place in mid-November. Soon after that, announcements of franchises, retention, and foreign signings will follow.
The next BPL 2025-26 may mark a new direction in the history of the Bangladesh Premier T20 League, as the sport introduces more stringent franchise requirements, possible team reshufflings, and a World Cup-driven schedule.
Amit Mishra’s Take:
There will be five teams in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26, which was confirmed by the secretary of the BPL GC, Iftikhar Rahman Mithu. It will occur from mid-December to mid-January and will be shortened to fit the calendar ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Mithu indicated that the move makes the season more compact and manageable, while still providing a high quality of competition.
Nevertheless, it remains to be determined whether Fortune Barishal is involved, following some disagreement with the officials of the BCB.
Mithu encouraged the champions to reconsider their decision, and franchise selection will be more stringent this year due to the financial problems of past years. The draft of the BPL 2025-26 and the establishment of the teams are scheduled to take place later in November.
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